Search Results

The following is an archived video story. The text content of that video story is available below
for reference. The original video has been deleted and is no longer available.

DeWine: Yellow Springs Standoff Suspect Fired 191 Shots

YELLOW SPRINGS -- Paul Schenck, 42, who died following an hours-long standoff and shootout in July, fired at least 191 shots from his home, Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Tuesday morning.

DeWine said the state's investigation has concluded and he provided details of the standoff to a large crowd, including some of Schenck's family members.

DeWine says the state investigation into the incident found that Schenck suffered from mental illness.

This case, while tragic, is not unusual in the fact that there are many Ohioans who are suffering from mental illness, and in need of more treatment options, DeWine said. To quote Terry Russell of NAMI Ohio, "the system is broken for the sickest of the sick."

DeWine said the current law makes it difficult for parents of adult children with mental illness to force hospitalizations and treatments.

"We ought to learn from this," he said. "We have some huge problems in the mental health system in the state of Ohio. Here we have someone who had severe mental health problems, who was drinking, who was an alcoholic, who had an arsenal in his house of guns and ammunition so it's a perfect recipe for disaster."

"There are a lot of people who are mentally ill that are not getting the help they need. they can't they can't afford it, there's no opportunity, there's no facility, they have no money," said his sister Kate Schenck.

Schenck was shot and killed by a member of the Greene County Regional SWAT team, several hours after the standoff began, DeWine said.

"BCI special agents handed the results of the investigation into the death of Paul E. Schenck over to Prosecutor Haller late last week, and at that time he requested that my office handle the grand jury proceedings in addition to the investigation," said DeWine. "It will now be up to members of the grand jury to decide if the evidence shows criminal misconduct or a justifiable shooting."

A Greene County grand jury decision is expected in about a month.

Two Greene County Sheriff's personnel were placed on administrative leave following the standoff. One remains on leave.

Schenck's family members have said they are upset with the way the standoff was handled.

"God, I miss him, there's no one like your brother or sister, they've been through everything you've been through, and God, he got the crap end of the deal," said Kate.

Schenck's family cried through hearing the details of the 6 hour stand-off, as they were of course hoping for a different ending.

"At the end of the day a man is dead, a man is dead because you didn't want to throw flash bang, because you wouldn't use tear gas," said Kate. "When it comes down to it did you really do everything that you possibly could've done? Could you have let the parents talk to him, was it that far out, I know it wasn't your protocol, but you were going to kill him any way, what do you care?"

The BCI investigation lasted about 3 months. We sifted through all 20 pages of their findings and learned before a SWAT team member shot and killed Schenck, he fired 191 shots out of his home hitting law enforcement vehicles and neighboring houses.

"I don't condone what he did, but I think the facts show, 191 rounds and no one got hurt; he wasn't trying to hurt anyone, he was afraid of the police and didn't want to go," said Kate. "He was deathly afraid of the police because of something that happened to him in 2009, he didn't want to answer his door and he's dead."

In 2009, Schenck was arrested and charged with carrying concealed weapons and having weapons while under disability by virtue of being a chronic alcoholic. The investigation also found at the time of his death, Schenck was suffereing from a mental illness and was especially thrown off that day after his cat was ran over by a car.

It's standard procedure to have a grand jury look at all officer involved shootings. This case has been handed off to a Greene County grand jury and a decision is expected in about a month.

Our children are the way of the future and it all starts with our schools. Join us as our Hilary Zalla goes inside schools around the Miami Valley to find out what cool things students and teachers are ...

Consumer Info

WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 03/21/14 -- Companies that pride themselves on being eco-friendly may have conflicted ideas between marketing with ad specialties and maintaining their green reputation. ...